ecause Erika and (maybe) Vincent deserve better. Okay Erika certainly does, she such a cutie~
Anyway this is basically just an Erika ending if you will. Whatever. I know damn well what I'm doing
Vincent stayed later that night, when his friends left and the only one at the bar was him, Erika and Boss, he savored the quiet, calm atmosphere with the only sound being the soothing piano music coming from the jukebox. It was the peacefulness Vincent has been yearning for in the past week, maybe even the past five years. He felt he was finally free for once in his life, and it felt so wonderful. He brought the the glass of his usual drink to his lips and drank the lot, shivering at the bitter sweet tang that sent chills up his spine.
He heard footsteps, and he looked up, watching Erika pick up his glass pick up the empty glass and place it on the tray she carried around. At first he thinks she as just gonna walk away until she looked at him for a few second before she spoke up. "We're closing soon, shouldn't you be going home?"
"Nah, I'll just stay here a little longer." Was it really closing time? He must've lost track of time.
"Alright, but no more drinks." Erika slid into the booth opposite Vincent. He gave her a puzzled look, she just giggled.
"What? If you can't drink we minus well talk."
Vincent shrugged, it's been a while since he had a decent conversation with Erika, as in not involving the rumors about the dreams or condoning his actions and making him feel even worse (not like what he was doing was something that should've been encouraged). "Okay then." He reached into his jacket for a cigarette. Placing between his lip he lit it, taking a deep drag. He looked towards Erika, her demeanor quickly fell, the same depressed look she's had tonight. Come to think of it she seemed a lot more distant a few days after she's been with Toby, especially with Toby, at least compared to how much they would talk and flirt. The first day or so afterwards Toby was on cloud nine, his ramblings about Erika seemed endless, he was surprised he didn't go into detail about how they did. Then it but then it just stopped, Erika would still talk to him, Orlando and Jonny but whenever she tried to talk to Toby she was ignored. It gave Vincent a sinking feeling...
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask." He spoke up, getting Erika's attention. "How's it been between you and Toby, I've been expecting him to gloat more." There were two options, that Toby finally went with the 'kiss and don't tell' policy (which is better late than never at this point) or...
"Oh, it's good." She smiled, but Vincent knew she was lying. He frowned, taking a puff of his cigarette, there was only one other possibility to why Toby would suddenly snub Erika like that.
"You told him…"
Erika smile vanished just like that, and she let her head fall, nodding slightly. "Yeah."
Vincent's skin paled at her confession, "Oh, y-you did." He was expecting that answer, but he was really hoping it would't be the case. He quickly took another puff of his cigarette, inhaling it deep to where it was almost reduced to nothing but ash. He quickly snubbed it out, and reached into his pocket for another one as Erika sighed.
"I mean, he could've reacted worse…"
"Oh." Vincent perked his eyebrow as he lit another cigarette, "What did he say?"
"Nothing really, I guess that's what really got me. The day after we agreed to let it go as a one night stand." She clenched her fist, biting her lip slightly, "I guess I expected too much from him…"
"Erika, he's still a kid, he probably wasn't expecting that for his first time. right?" Vincent stopped talking, trying to choose his words carefully. This was his friend, sure he gave her a few jabs about her past but she was still one of his oldest and closest friends regardless of whatever he said.
"I know that." She sighed, "Like I said, I expected too much. I knew he'd be shocked but I wouldn't think he would just end it like that. I really liked him, I'm sure he felt the same way about me, right?"
"Well, yeah… he was sure you were the one or something like that…" Vincent took a quick drag of his cigarette. "But if he reacted like that, maybe he just isn't right for you. Sure he may be surprised at who you once where but that isn't an excuse to treat you like that. You've been through way too much to begin with."
"Don't remind me." He rested her head on her hand and continued to draw circles on the table with her finger.
"I mean, the last thing I'd want is for you to disappear again." Vincent was surprised about what he said, not that he didn't mean it but the fact that he actually said it out loud. Erika looked just as shocked, her cheeks were a little red and she bashfully pushed some hair to the back of her ear.
"Really?"
"Um yeah, I mean I didn't like it the first time. The rumor that you killed yourself made it even worse."
"Hmm." She bit her lip, "Well at least someone would miss me right?" She joked, at least Vincent wanted to see it like that. Of course Orlando and Jonny would miss her, even if they were a bit more brash about her past. Toby was in a grey area at the moment, maybe he miss her when she was gone.
"Everything's been a mess. But maybe I shouldn't be too surprised, right?" She looked at Vincent with hopeful eyes that begged for him to say something. Vincent nearly choked on a puff of his cigarette.
"Y-yeah."
"I mean... I would've told you guys but I was afraid..."
"Afraid of what?"
"That... that you would side with Toby."
"What?" Vincent jaw dropped low enough that his cigarette nearly fell of, "Erika."
"Well it's not like you guys were saints either." She glared at him, "But... I felt like you would be the best to tell. Sure you've said some things that were way past the line."
'Can't disagree with you there.' Vincent thought, cringing at some of the things he said that she was referring to. The latest instance was not to far back, sure he may have been agitated with the dreams and Erika's constant scolding but it still didn't excuse what he said.
"But I felt that you would understand it better than Orlando, hell, even more than Jonny."
"I think you're giving me too much credit, Erika." Vincent chuckled.
"Maybe... but at least you're not being an asshole about it." She smiled again, relief evident in her sparkling brown eyes. Vincent couldn't help but get lost in those brown eyes.
'Oh man, when did Erika's eyes become so pretty?' Vincent thought, finding himself reexamining every detail about Erika's face, 'Man she really is cute, Toby's such an idiot for treating her like that...' He then shook his head, 'Wait what am I thinking, I just broke up with Katherine I can't do this...but still.' He sighed.
"Vincent, you alright?" Erika asked.
Vincent gasped as Erika's voice snapped him out of his trance, "Uh yeah. Uh..." Why is he getting so flustered all of a sudden, his calm demeanor was breaking at the seems, only Catherine and Katherine were really capable of doing that. But should he be surprised Erika could have the same effect on him? "Uh, how bout we change the subject?" Vincent chuckled. Erika let out a disappointed sigh, but he could tell she was sort of relieved.
"Yeah, we can."
But there was nothing much to talk about, other than Erika's 'break up', if it can even be called that until Erika spoke up, prodding into Vincent's relationships.
"So, are you giving up dating?" She asked. Vincent chuckled, seeing how he could pull a joke with her question. Or just be a little flirty for the hell of it. No harm there, right?
"Why're you interested? Want me to yourself?"
Erika blushed, growling in a way that Vincent found adorable. "It's not like that, I'm just asking. I mean…" She trailed off, flustered while she tried to think about what to say. "I mean, we both had problems with relationships, really bad problems." She sighed, scratching her head. "But…" She bit her lip, hesitating before saying in a rushed manner. "R-remember what I said about which one of you guys I'd like to marry?"
"Yeah." Vincent felt his heart race faster, bringing the cigarette to his lips for another puff and really wishing for another drink right about now.
"Well, realizing what happened… maybe I would've said you. Maybe if I could've seen into the future."
"I thought witches had crystal balls for that." Vincent interrupted jokingly. Erika's blush got darker and she playfully slapped Vincent's hand with a tiny grin on her face.
"Shut up." Se giggled, and sighed, "You get what I mean, so…"
"What?"
"Do you think, we could try being together?"
Vincent took a deep inhale at the question, contrasting to the train wreck going on inside of his mind currently. He blew out the smoke, and pondered the thought of a relationship with Erika longer than he usually would (Thoughts of him and Erika together came to him as intrusive thoughts rather than him actually fantasizing about it), ruling out her little cosmetic truth it wouldn't be all that bad now that he actually thought about it.
"Look if you need some time to think about it, I understand, I mean you're still getting over the-"
"Sure."
"What?"
Vincent look at her with a warm smile and placed his hand over hers, causing her to blush darkly, "I'm willing to try it, I guess."
"R-really?"
"Yeah, why not?" Vincent shrugged, "We've known each other for a long time, right? Plus I've seen how you sneak peaks at me." He purred.
"As if…" She stammered. "Well, at least it's mutual." She said as she slipped out of her seat, and Vincent watched as she slid into his booth, her hips brushing against his as she leaned onto his shoulder, taking his hand into hers again. They both chuckled, feeling like high schoolers all over again. Their eyes connecting. Vincent's smile vanished as he stared into her warm brown eyes, and he brought a hand to her chin, stroking her cheek with his thumb before he pulled her in for a kiss.
It was a short kiss, leaving Erika with the taste of rum and cola in her mouth. When they separated their faces were less than an inch apart, looking each other in the eyes. Erika wrapped her arms around the back of Vincent's neck and pulled him in for another kiss. They held their lips together, Vincent's hands resting on her lower back, making her giggle into his mouth. He felt her tongue poke at his lips, asking for entrance. He complied, opening his mouth so her tongue can slide against his, moaning at the sensation and the taste of her mouth. She tasted sweet; like Katherine.
He sighed wistfully, and pulled back with confusion in his eyes. "What is it?" Erika asked. Vincent avoided looking at her before nodding, and pulling her in for a chaste kiss on the lips.
"Maybe, we'll start things off slower?" He asked hopefully.
"Hmm, I guess we can." She gave him another kiss on the lips and rested her head on his shoulder, holding him close to her. "I'm glad we can at least try after everything we went though."
"Yeah." Vincent murmured, his arms tightening around her, burying his nose deep into her hair and inhaling softly, taking in the scent of her sweet smelling perfume. Vincent became stiff. Erika took note of this and loosened up on him, looking at him with that worried expression.
"Vincent?"
Vincent snapped from his trance once again and smiled at her, "Sorry, I was just spacing out again."
"You're always spacing out." Erika said.
"I know." He chuckled before pulling her in for another quick kiss. "I should get going now, right?"
Erika gasped a bit, before getting off of Vincent and sliding out of the booth so he could leave, before opening the door to the streets he looked over his shoulder, "Remember Erika, don't make things to obvious, for now." His voice clearly catches Erika off guard, as she jumped a bit. He giggled at her reaction and opened the door, exiting the bar with butterflies in his stomach.
Well that was my attempt at an Erika ending, for the few people in this dead as a rock fandom, enjoy